Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo Review – Multi Color FDM 3D Printer

Introduction – What is the Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo?

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo (officially known as the Anycubic Kobra 3 Combo) is one of the most exciting entries in the consumer FDM 3D printing market to arrive in recent years. If you have been following the 3D printing world, you already know how quickly multi-color printing has moved from a niche luxury to a mainstream expectation. Where once you had to choose between color and affordability, the Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo says: why not both?

Released in 2024 and continuing to build its reputation well into 2025 and 2026, this printer is Anycubic’s direct answer to the growing demand for accessible, high-quality, multi-color FDM printing. It combines a capable core printer with the company’s ACE Pro (Anycubic Color Engine Pro) multi-filament system — all at a price point that genuinely challenges the established players in the segment.

In this full Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo review, we will walk through everything: from the hardware and technical specifications, to how the ACE filament system works, to real-world print quality, setup experience, and how it stacks up against its biggest rival, the Bambu Lab A1 Combo. Whether you are a first-time buyer or an experienced maker thinking about upgrading, this guide will give you everything you need to make a confident decision.

Multi-color FDM is trending in 2026 for good reason. Makers, educators, cosplayers, and small businesses all want to produce prints that pop with color and detail — without the cost and complexity of professional equipment. The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo is purpose-built for exactly that audience, and it delivers in ways that change what you can expect from an entry-level machine.

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2. Multi Color Technology Explained

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo multi color system is built around a concept that is elegant in its simplicity. Instead of mixing colors at the hotend — which is technically complex and prone to contamination — the printer uses a filament switching approach managed by the ACE Pro unit.

Each filament spool sits in its own dedicated slot in the ACE Pro enclosure. When the slicer calls for a color change, the current filament is retracted back through its individual Bowden tube, and a new filament is fed forward. Because each spool has its own dedicated tube running directly to a central hub mounted on the printer, there is no shared pathway where filaments can tangle or cross-contaminate. This is a significant advantage over some competing designs that use a shared buffer system.

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo filament system supports up to four colors natively with a single ACE Pro unit. By connecting two ACE Pro modules, users can unlock eight-color printing, which requires a firmware update to at least version V2.3.3.9 and the use of an eight-color connection module. Anycubic officially supports eight-color printing as of the Anycubic Slicer Next version 1.1.1 for Windows.

In terms of material compatibility, the printer itself supports PLA, PETG, and TPU for single-color work. When using the ACE Pro for multi-color printing, compatible materials include PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, PET, PA (Nylon), PC, PP, and HIPS — a notably broad list for this price bracket. One important note: TPU is only suitable for single-color printing and cannot be used through the ACE Pro due to the risk of tangling.

Anycubic has also partnered with the Pantone Color Institute, the global authority on color, to co-create a line of co-branded PLA filaments. This partnership brings a level of color accuracy and naming convention to the filament lineup that makes selecting complementary colors genuinely easier. Pantone’s Color of the Year — Peach Fuzz for 2024 — was even included in early review unit bundles, showing how seriously Anycubic is taking color as a core part of the product experience.

Color transitions during printing inevitably produce some waste material, known as purging. The slicer handles this automatically, and while waste is inherent to any multi-color FDM system, the dedicated tube design of the ACE Pro means shorter retractions and faster color changes compared to systems with longer shared paths.

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3. Hardware & Technical Specifications

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo specs are competitive for its price tier. Let’s look at the numbers before diving into what they mean in practice.

Specification	Value
Build Volume	250 × 250 × 260 mm (16.25 L)
Maximum Print Speed	600 mm/s
Recommended Print Speed	300 mm/s
Maximum Acceleration	20,000 mm/s²
Nozzle Temperature (Max)	300 °C
Bed Temperature (Max)	110 °C
Standard Nozzle Diameter	0.4 mm (also supports 0.2, 0.6, 0.8 mm)
Filament Diameter	1.75 mm
Bed Surface	Textured PEI spring steel (removable)
Auto Leveling	LeviQ 3.0
Vibration Compensation	Built-in G-Sensor accelerometer (Input Shaping)
Connectivity	Wi-Fi, USB
Display	4.3-inch color LCD touchscreen
Supported Languages	English, Chinese, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese
Colors (Combo)	4 colors (expandable to 8 with second ACE Pro)

The printer uses a bedslinger design — that is, the print bed moves back and forth along the Y axis while the printhead moves on the X and Z axes. Anycubic engineered the X-axis with SG15 bearings and double metal-core linear rods for stability, and the Z-axis uses a dual lead screw setup to minimize layer wobble during tall prints. The print head features an all-metal hotend capable of reaching 300 °C, which is necessary for engineering materials like ABS, ASA, and PC.

The nozzle uses a quick-swap design — similar in concept to E3D’s Revo system — that allows tool-free nozzle changes. This is a genuinely useful feature that makes maintenance far less intimidating for beginners. Automatic belt tension detection removes another common headache from the ownership experience.

The machine runs on Anycubic’s KobraOS, which is Klipper-inspired and enables remote printing via Anycubic Cloud and the Anycubic mobile app, supporting real-time monitoring and print history.

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4. AMS System & Filament Handling

The centerpiece of the Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo is undoubtedly its ACE Pro module — the Anycubic Color Engine Pro. This is the system that transforms a capable single-color printer into a genuine multi-color workhorse, and it has several design decisions that set it apart from competitors.

The ACE Pro is a sealed enclosure that houses up to four filament spools on rollers. Unlike open-frame multi-material units, the enclosed design provides meaningful protection against dust and ambient moisture. This matters more than it might initially seem: most common 3D printing filaments, including PLA, PETG, and especially Nylon, are hygroscopic — they absorb water from the air. Moist filament leads to stringing, weak layer bonds, surface bubbles, and generally poor print quality.

The headline innovation of the ACE Pro is its built-in active filament drying system. A dual PTC heating system with a combined output of up to 200 W maintains the internal temperature at up to 55 °C. Critically, the ACE Pro can dry filament during an active print — simultaneously printing and drying — for up to 24 continuous hours. This is a feature that most competing systems simply do not offer at this price level. For users working with moisture-sensitive materials like PETG, ABS, or PA, this is a practical, real-world advantage.

Each spool has its own dedicated PTFE tube running from the ACE Pro to a filament hub mounted on the printer frame. This dedicated-tube approach minimizes the retraction distance needed during color swaps and reduces the chance of jams during transitions. A built-in buffer sensor in the ACE Pro monitors for nozzle clogs, pauses the print, and alerts the user if a jam is detected, helping to protect both the machine and the print in progress.

Anycubic’s smart filament system also includes RFID-based “Intelligent Identification” tags on their branded filaments. When these tagged spools are loaded, the ACE Pro automatically detects the material type and color, and the printer adjusts its settings accordingly — no manual configuration required. Third-party filaments without RFID tags can still be used, but the user must configure material settings manually.

The ACE Pro is controlled by the Kobra 3 printer and cannot operate independently. It is designed to be installed on the left side of the printer frame, per Anycubic’s official guidelines, for optimal tube routing and filament feed performance.

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5. Setup & First Calibration

One of the stated goals of the Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo is to be genuinely accessible to beginners, and the setup process largely delivers on that promise. The printer ships in a semi-assembled state, meaning the main assembly work is mounting the print head, connecting the touchscreen, plugging in the cables, and connecting the PTFE tubes from the ACE Pro.

According to Tom’s Hardware’s hands-on review, an experienced user can complete assembly in approximately 20 minutes. For first-timers, expect to spend 30 to 45 minutes — the process is logical, though cable labeling was noted as an area where the printed quick-start guide could be clearer. The digital PDF version of the manual is more detailed and is recommended as the primary reference.

Once assembled, the LeviQ 3.0 auto-leveling system takes over. Before leveling, the printer cleans the nozzle on a built-in wiper brush attached to the build plate — a detail that improves leveling accuracy by ensuring no residual filament on the nozzle distorts the probe measurements. The system then maps the bed surface and applies compensation automatically.

The time from unboxing to a first successful print is typically within one to two hours for a new user, including assembly, leveling, and slicing setup. Anycubic provides pre-sliced sample models on the internal USB storage, including multi-color test files, so you can verify the ACE Pro is working correctly before loading your own designs.

The Anycubic Slicer Next — the recommended slicing software — is built on top of the open-source OrcaSlicer engine, which is itself based on PrusaSlicer. This means users who are already familiar with either of those tools will find the interface intuitive. For users who prefer a fully open workflow, OrcaSlicer and Cura are also supported, though Anycubic recommends their own slicer for the best multi-color experience.

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6. Print Quality & Real Tests

Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo print quality is strong for its class. Across a range of test models — including standard benchmark prints, functional parts, and multi-color decorative pieces — the machine consistently produces clean, well-defined output.

Surface finish on single-color PLA prints is smooth and consistent, with minimal visible layer lines at 0.2 mm layer height. The G-Sensor vibration compensation (input shaping) does a good job of reducing ringing artifacts — the ghosting or ripple patterns that appear on surfaces perpendicular to the direction of motion — even at elevated print speeds.

Multi-color prints showcase the real appeal of the system. Color transitions are cleanly executed, with the purge tower managing color contamination effectively. Tom’s Hardware’s review noted that the bottom surface of a four-color print was affected by a nozzle height issue early in testing, but this was resolved through calibration. After correction, the print quality for a four-color fidget spinner test was described as visually striking, with clearly delineated color zones.

Popular multi-color print categories — dragons, articulated figurines, gradient vases, logos with text in contrasting colors — all produce impressive results. The dedicated-tube system means color swap times are shorter than on some competing designs, which reduces the amount of purge material generated per swap. Even so, multi-color printing always produces significantly more waste filament than single-color printing — this is a fundamental trade-off of the technology, not a flaw specific to the Cobra 3 Combo.

Layer adhesion is solid across PLA and PETG. The all-metal hotend enables printing of ABS and ASA (through the ACE Pro) without the PTFE degradation concerns that affect lower-temperature setups.

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7. High Speed Printing Performance

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo high speed printing capabilities are one of its headline selling points. With a maximum rated speed of 600 mm/s and a maximum acceleration of 20,000 mm/s², the numbers on paper are impressive. In practice, these maximums represent peak performance under ideal conditions — the recommended daily print speed is 300 mm/s, which still places the Cobra 3 Combo firmly in the high-speed category.

At 300 mm/s, the printer completes a standard Benchy (the iconic boat benchmark at 0.2 mm layer height) in approximately 13 minutes according to official specs. Some test configurations with optimized settings achieve completion closer to 11 minutes 30 seconds.

The G-Sensor accelerometer is critical to maintaining quality at speed. Without vibration compensation, fast movements introduce ringing artifacts that make prints look wavy or rippled at the edges. The onboard accelerometer detects the resonant frequencies of the X and Y axes and applies input shaping corrections in real time, keeping print quality high even as speeds increase.

Noise levels at standard operating speeds are moderate. At 300 mm/s, expect the sound level to be around 55 dB — roughly equivalent to a normal conversation. At maximum speeds, the printer is noticeably louder, making it better suited to a dedicated workshop or maker space rather than a shared living area if you plan to push it hard regularly.

Thermal management is handled efficiently. The all-metal hotend can sustain the temperatures needed for faster printing without the heat creep issues common in hybrid PTFE setups. The active cooling on the print head helps maintain precise layer-to-layer transitions even at high deposition rates.

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8. Price & Market Position

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo price positions it as a genuine value proposition in the multi-color FDM segment. At launch, the Kobra 3 Combo had a retail price of approximately $549 USD, with promotional pricing frequently bringing it to around $449 USD. Anycubic’s own store and major retailers including Micro Center carry the unit, and discounts are common.

The following table shows a market context comparison:

Printer	Colors	Build Volume	Max Speed	Approx. Price (USD)
Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo	4 (up to 8)	250×250×260 mm	600 mm/s	~$449–$549
Bambu Lab A1 Combo	4	256×256×256 mm	500 mm/s	~$559
Bambu Lab A1 Mini Combo	4	180×180×180 mm	500 mm/s	~$399–$449
Anycubic Kobra 3 Max Combo	4 (up to 8)	420×420×500 mm	600 mm/s	~$459–$699

For users who need more print volume, Anycubic also offers the Kobra 3 Max Combo with a 420 × 420 × 500 mm build area — the largest consumer-grade multi-color printer at that price tier. For users who want an upgraded version of the core Kobra 3 Combo experience with improved leveling accuracy, a built-in 720p camera, and enhanced nozzle sealing, the Kobra 3 V2 Combo is available at approximately $371 USD in the four-color configuration.

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo sits in an excellent sweet spot: large enough print volume for serious projects, fast enough for productive sessions, and priced competitively enough to make multi-color printing genuinely accessible.

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9. Cobra 3 Combo vs Bambu Lab

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo vs Bambu Lab comparison is the one most buyers will want to understand, because the Bambu Lab A1 Combo is the established benchmark in this segment. So how does the Anycubic stack up?

Both printers use a bedslinger design with nearly identical build volumes (Bambu: 256 × 256 × 256 mm; Anycubic: 250 × 250 × 260 mm — essentially the same for practical purposes). Both include auto bed leveling, input shaping for vibration compensation, an all-metal hotend rated to 300 °C, and a textured PEI spring-steel build plate. Both support four-color printing with their respective add-on units.

The differences are meaningful and worth knowing:

Motion system: The Bambu Lab A1 uses linear rails on the X-axis, which can offer slightly smoother motion with less vibration than the Kobra 3’s metal pulleys running on linear rods. In real-world print quality tests, however, 3DPros found the two printers to produce largely similar output quality when both vibration compensation systems are active.

Multi-color system: The Bambu AMS Lite (which comes with the A1 Combo) is an open-frame design that makes spool visibility easy but offers less environmental protection for filament. The Anycubic ACE Pro is a sealed enclosure with the unique advantage of active built-in filament drying. For users working with humidity-sensitive materials or in humid climates, this is a practical win for the Cobra 3 Combo.

Speed: The Anycubic claims 600 mm/s maximum vs. Bambu’s 500 mm/s. In daily use at recommended speeds, this difference is minor — both are very fast printers by any reasonable measure. The Anycubic also has a higher rated maximum acceleration (20,000 mm/s² vs. 10,000 mm/s² for the A1).

Software ecosystem: Bambu Studio is a polished, tightly integrated slicer with an excellent user experience. Anycubic Slicer Next is built on OrcaSlicer and is capable and open, but was described as less mature in early reviews. Third-party slicer support (OrcaSlicer, Cura) is well-supported on the Cobra 3, giving more advanced users additional flexibility.

Price: At promotional prices, the Cobra 3 Combo is typically $100 or more cheaper than the A1 Combo, representing real savings.

Feature	Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo	Bambu Lab A1 Combo
Build Volume	250×250×260 mm	256×256×256 mm
Max Speed	600 mm/s	500 mm/s
Max Acceleration	20,000 mm/s²	10,000 mm/s²
Max Nozzle Temp	300 °C	300 °C
Multi-color Unit	ACE Pro (sealed, active drying)	AMS Lite (open frame)
Active Filament Drying	Yes (up to 55 °C, 24 hrs)	No
Max Colors	8 (with 2× ACE Pro)	4 (AMS Lite)
Slicer Ecosystem	Anycubic Slicer Next + OrcaSlicer/Cura	Bambu Studio (proprietary)
X-axis Motion	Linear rods + SG15 bearings	Linear rails
Approx. Price	~$449–$549	~$559

The verdict on this comparison? Bambu Lab’s A1 Combo offers a more polished out-of-the-box software experience and a slightly more refined motion system. The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo answers back with active filament drying (a genuinely useful and differentiating feature), the potential for eight-color printing, a higher acceleration rating, greater slicer flexibility, and a lower price. For budget-conscious buyers and those who work with moisture-sensitive materials, the Cobra 3 Combo makes a compelling case. For buyers who want the most seamless plug-and-play experience and tight ecosystem integration, the A1’s polish is real and worth the premium.

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10. Final Verdict – Is It Worth It?

After this comprehensive Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo review, the conclusion is clear: yes, it is worth it — for the right buyer.

The Cobra 3 Combo is a capable, well-thought-out machine that brings genuine multi-color FDM printing to a price point that was not possible just two years ago. Its ACE Pro filament system is innovative, with active drying being a feature that even much more expensive printers have historically lacked. The print quality is competitive with the best in its class, setup is manageable for beginners, and the support for up to eight colors via dual ACE Pro units gives the platform meaningful headroom for future projects.

Who should buy the Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo:

Hobbyists and makers who want to start printing in multiple colors without spending heavily on a Bambu Lab P1S or similar premium machine will find this printer hits a satisfying balance of capability and affordability. Users who frequently work with PETG, ABS, or Nylon — materials that benefit from controlled humidity during printing — will appreciate the ACE Pro’s active drying as a practical daily advantage. Educators setting up 3D printing labs, cosplayers printing multi-color props, and small business owners producing colorful branded items will all find real value here.

Who might prefer another option:

If you prioritize the most polished software experience and the most refined out-of-box reliability above all else, and price is secondary, the Bambu Lab A1 Combo’s ecosystem maturity might edge it ahead. If you need a compact footprint, the Bambu A1 Mini Combo’s smaller size could be the deciding factor.

The bigger picture:

The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo represents exactly the kind of competitive pressure that makes the 3D printing market exciting. Anycubic has built a machine that challenges the segment leader on almost every metric — and in some areas, like active filament drying and maximum color count, actually exceeds it. The result is that consumers in 2026 can walk into multi-color FDM printing with more choices, better features, and lower prices than ever before.

Multi-color FDM is not a gimmick — it is becoming the baseline expectation for serious desktop 3D printing. The Anycubic Cobra 3 Combo is a printer that understands this moment and is built to deliver on its promise.

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Specifications and pricing sourced from Anycubic’s official store (store.anycubic.com), Anycubic Wiki (wiki.anycubic.com), Tom’s Hardware, and 3DPros. Prices may vary by region and over time.

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